Fifth-wheel attachment



(No Model.)

A. A. MEYERS. FIFTH WHEELTA'TTAUHMBNT. No. 329,194. Patented Oct. 27, 1885..

Mn. N IMAM/MAI" mum-I IInumu ATTORNEYS.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT A. MEYERS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Fl FTH -WH EEL ATTACH M E NT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,194, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed August 21, 1885. Serial No. 174,980. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ADELBERT, A. MEYERS, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Fifth-Wheel Attachment, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the construction of an attachment to prevent the rattling of the fifthwheels of Wagons, said attachment being mounted in a casting which acts as the main brace and coupling-clip of the running-gear.

The invention consists of a small roller mounted on the end of a spring in position to bear hard againstthe underside of the movable part of the fifth-wheel, said spring and roller being secured within a casting which acts as the main brace and coupling-clip of the running-gear, as will be hereinafter more fully ex plained.

Referenceis to behad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of my attachment, representing the same as applied to the running-gear of an ordinary form of wagon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward bolster-reach and fifth-wheel, my attachment being shown in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of the running-gear, showing the forward end of my clip.

Referring now to the construction, which is best shown in Fig. 1, A represents the forward axle; B, the bolster; and C the reach. The fifth-wheel, shown at a a, is secured to the running-gear in the ordinary manner, the stationary portion a being carried by the bolster B and reach 0, while the movable portion a is carried by the axle A, the two parts being arranged so that they will, as usual, fit together. Amalleable-iron casting, D, is secured to the reach 0 by bolts b b, which pass through aperturesformed in the rear end of the casting and in a forwardly-projecting flange, c, that branches out from a vertical web, 01, as is clearly shown. The casting D is formed with a heavy arm, 6, that projects forward and beneath the longitudinal center of the axle A, said arm being socketed at f to receive the lower end of the king-bolt E, which, as usual, passes down through the b01- ster B and axle A, and forms the pivotal connection for the forward axle. From the construction described it will be seen that the casting D is very firmly secured to the reach 0, and acts both as the main brace and forward clip of the running-gear. Projecting upward from the rear portion of the casting D are the two side walls, i 2', which abut against the under side of the reach and extend forward, so as to almost touch the fifthwheel, thus forming a box-like structure, which is utilized for a purpose now to be explained, and also serving to materially add to the strength of the casting. A springarm, h, is held within the box-like structure just described by the bolt b, which passes through an aperture in the end of the springarm, so that when the casting D is secured in place the spring h will be firmly held between said casting and the reach 0. The forward end of the spring carries a leather or rubber roller, 0, so arranged that it bears against the under side of the movable portion a of the fifthwheel, thereby holding the two parts of said fifth-wheel together and preventing all rattling of the irons.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the running-gear and fifth-wheel of a wagon, of a spring-arm carrying a roller, arranged to bear upon the movable portion of the fifth-wheel, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the running-gear and fifth-wheel of a wagon, of a spring-arm mounted in a case secured to the under side of the reach, and carrying a roller arranged to bear upon the under side ofthe movable portion of the fifth-wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the running-gear and fifth-wheel of a wagon, of a casting, D, which is secured to the reach and reaches forward to engage with the king-bolt, and has a springarm, h, arranged within the rear boxlike portion, said spring-arm carrying a roller arranged to bear upon the movable portion of the fifth-wheel, substantially as described.

ADELBERT A. MEYERS.

Witnesses:

JULIAN LAUGHLIN,

WILLIAM H. OEBIKE. 

